California Milk Producers’ Group Hires Lobbying Firm to Push for Legislative Change to Help Dairies

Farm Journal logo

Leaders say state’s ag department has not done enough to implement a fair minimum pricing structure for dairies.

Source: Milk Producers Council

Saying that California’s dairy families can no longer live under the status quo, the board of directors of the Milk Producers Council (MPC) last week voted to team up with a prominent Sacramento legal/lobbying firm, Nielsen Merksamer in an effort to strengthen dairy farmers’ position in the state Capitol.

"The financial struggles faced by California’s roughly 1,600 dairy families are well-documented," says Rob Vandenheuvel, MPC’s general manager. "Over the past five years, the prices paid for California-produced milk has, more often than not, failed to cover the cost of producing that milk, resulting in massive amounts of debt being accumulated by the state’s dairy families. While the general dairy markets have impacted our industry throughout the country, California’s dairies have been especially devastated by the refusal of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to implement a fair minimum pricing structure."

CDFA has chosen "to artificially discount" California’s Class 4b price below the comparable Federal Order Class III price "to the tune of $745 million" since 2010, Vandenheuvel says.

California’s Class 4b price is the minimum price for milk sold to California cheese manufacturers. The Federal Order Class III price is the minimum price for milk sold to regulated cheese manufacturers around the country.

"Despite several administrative hearings aimed at fixing this obvious problem, it has become clear that CDFA is not willing to make the changes dairy farmers desperately need," adds Vandenheuvel. "MPC and our fellow dairy producer organizations/cooperatives will be looking to our elected officials in Sacramento to make the changes we need for an economically sustainable dairy industry, and our new relationship with Nielsen Merksamer will give MPC and our producers a strong, new ally in that effort."

 

Latest News

APHIS Now Thinks Wild Birds Are to Blame for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza's Arrival on Four U.S. Dairies
APHIS Now Thinks Wild Birds Are to Blame for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza's Arrival on Four U.S. Dairies

The livestock industry continues to grapple with the first confirmed cases of HPAI in cattle, while federal and state agencies continue to assure consumers there's no concern about the safety of the U.S. milk supply.

Success is All in the Details at Kansas Dairy Development
Success is All in the Details at Kansas Dairy Development

Kansas Dairy Development provides temporary housing for up to 80,000 head of cattle — from a few days old to springers nearly ready to calve. Their formula for success is all in the details.

Skills Survey Reveals U.S. Agriculture & Food Industry Workforce Needs and Gaps
Skills Survey Reveals U.S. Agriculture & Food Industry Workforce Needs and Gaps

U.S. employers report challenges in finding suitable job candidates with work-ready skills to fill open roles in ag. The AgCareers.com U.S. Skills Survey offers insights, data and trends to address skill development.

Built Out of Love: How Two Sisters Created a Super-Fast-Growing Yogurt Company
Built Out of Love: How Two Sisters Created a Super-Fast-Growing Yogurt Company

Travel to the rolling hills of Pennsylvania, and you’ll meet Hayley and Stephanie Painter who not only made the Forbes 30 under 30 list, but have also created one of the fastest growing yogurt company in the U.S.

"Boring" Technology Will Reshape Dairy Over the Next 10 Years
"Boring" Technology Will Reshape Dairy Over the Next 10 Years

Once a technology becomes a boring experience it means it has become proven, well-adopted, and easy to utilize. There are three "boring" technologies silently shaping the industry.

Influential Dairy Leaders Awarded World Dairy Expo Recognition Awards
Influential Dairy Leaders Awarded World Dairy Expo Recognition Awards

World Dairy Expo is delighted to announce the recipients of the 2024 Expo Recognition Awards. These individuals have made remarkable contributions to the dairy industry and their communities.